Luxor Temple of Egypt

This ancient landmark is a complex of temples located in Luxor, Egypt, on the eastern bank of the Nile River.
The Temple was built in honor of Amon, the ruler of the gods, Mut, his wife, and Khons, their son. It was however not devoted to the worship of any Egyptian god. The Temple is located in Thebes' (Luxor) southern region.

The Luxor Temple was constructed approximately 1400 BCE. "ipet resyt" is the Egyptian name for this grand temple, it was also known as, "the southern sanctuary" since it was only one out of the two primary temples on the east bank. The second temple was the Karnak temple.

One distinguishing feature of The Luxor Temple was that it was not dedicated to a god or even a deified pharaoh like other temples were, back then in Thebes. Luxor temple was simply dedicated to the rebirth of kingship and it is believed that the Temple may in fact have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned.

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The Luxor Temple is a massive temple complex that contains ten sections. These ten sections are the Avenue of the Sphinxes, First Pylon, Roman Camp, Mosque, Court of Ramses II, Court of Amenhotep III, Chapel of Mut, Chapel of Khonsu, Chapel of Amun, and finally the Birth Chamber.

On the spot where the Luxor Temple now stands, there was once another structure but all that is left of it is nothing but a little pavilion. It is believed that the structure was probably a temple built in the 18th dynasty or earlier.

The temple of Amenhotep III was finished by Tutankhamen (reigned 1332–23) and Horemheb (1319–1292). A second court, a pylon, and obelisks were built to the temple by Ramses II (1279–1213 BCE), while the Ptolemaic periods saw modest augmentations. Its hypostyle hall was formerly turned into a Christian church, and to the west of it are the ruins of another Coptic church.

As previously mentioned, the Temple was not dedicated to any Ancient Egyptian god or king. However, it was devoted to the Theban Triad of the Royal Ka religion. A statue of Amun was paraded through the Nile from close to the Karnak Temple as part of the Opet Festival, which had the temple as its focal point. The shrine stations were another significant area of the temple.

A straight avenue featuring Nekhtanebo sphinxes with human heads runs between the Luxor and Karnak Temples. Last but not least, the temple is thought to have been the location where the coronations of many of the Egyptian Kings took place. Each of the Stations had its own significance, such as the station of Kamare that cooled the oar of Amun. The temple is also surrounded by a legionary fortress, which adds to its historical significance as a masterpiece of the pharaonic era. It also served as the local Roman government's residence.

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Undoubtedly, the Luxor Temple is one of the most significant historical landmarks in Luxor. However, it's not the one sight to see, all of Luxor is filled with many more historical landmarks for you to see. Some of them are;

1. The Karnak Temple
Standing close to the Luxor Temple and once called the "Northern Sanctuary", Karnak is regarded as the second largest temple complex. Like the Luxor Temple, Karnak wasn't built all at once, but it took more than two thousand years to complete this magnificent temple complex. 
For years and years over those two thousand years, buildings, monuments, and temples were added to the complex.
In fact, it is said that about 30 different Pharaohs added something to the Karnak temple. This site is also the second most visited place in Egypt, right after the Pyramids.

2. Luxor Museum
This museum holds many ancient artifacts and relics found in and around Luxor.
The highlight of these artifacts is the ones found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

3. Mummification Museum
Another museum worth checking out in Luxor is the Mummification Museum where you can learn about the Mummification process. There are sights of mummified human beings and even mummified animals like cats, birds, and crocodiles.

4. Valley Of Kings
This next site features ancient Egyptian royalty. It is the burial site of Pharaohs from 18th, 19th, and 20th century Egypt.
The walls of these tombs are a sight to behold, they are completely covered with breathtaking wall paintings and hieroglyphics which tell you ancient stories of the journey to the afterlife. There are about 63 different tombs in the valley of the kings.

5. Valley Of Queens
The valley of queens was the burial place for the queens of Egypt. Most of the tombs in the valley of queens are smaller compared to the tombs in the Valley of Kings. 
The tomb of queen Nefertari is perhaps the only exception, in fact, it is one of the most spectacular tombs in all of Egypt.
The walls are decorated with amazing detail and vibrant colors, unlike many other Egyptian tombs.

6. Valley Of Artisans
Located in Deir el-Medina where the artisans who worked in the Valley of Kings lived, this valley was built as tombs for some of the highly regarded workers. 
Of course, the tombs here are smaller than the ones in the royal valleys and the designs are not as flamboyant. Still, it's a sight to see.
 

Best Time to visit:

Luxor Temple is particularly beautiful in the early morning and early evening, when the soft light of the setting sun seems to shimmer off the warm stone. Luxor Temple is exquisitely decorated with beautiful lights at night and it is indeed a thing to see. Even if you've already been there during the day, it's worthwhile to return at night to take in the decorations and the Avenue of Sphinxes.